Posts Tagged ‘used clothes’

During the month of Ramadan last year (2007), Resala aimed at collecting 100 thousand pieces of used clothes from people in Egypt through its 7 branches in Cairo and 2 branches in Alexandria. At the end of Ramadan last year, Resala exceeded its goal and actually collected 200 thousand pieces of used clothes!

During this Ramadan (2008), Resala tripled its last year’s goal and aimed at collecting 300 thousand pieces of used clothes. Yet again Resala exceeded its goal and actually collected over 1,000,000 (yes one million) pieces of used clothes in less than 30 days!

On the 29th of Ramadan, which was yesterday, Resala held 4 clothing exhibitions in Cairo where a tremendous amount of poor families were helped by hundreds of Resala volunteers to choose clothes for their families, 3 pieces for each member of their families, and take them for free.

Not all of the used clothes Rasala has collected was distributed during the Clothing Day, a large amount of it was given to 126 different charity organizations in Egypt during the month of Ramadan in order to give to other poor families under their care. Another part of the collected used clothse was distributed to poor families through Resala branches in Egyptian governorates other than Cairo.

During this month of Ramadan, Resala volunteers classified, washed and ironed around half a milion (500,000) pieces of donated used clothse. The rest of the one million pieces of donated clothes will be sold with very low prices to needy people in poor districts all over Egypt through small 3-day exhibitions held near their homes. Prices for each piece vary around 50 cents and $1 with a maximum of under $3 for the most expensive used clothses pieces. This practice gives the oportunity for poor families to take their time during the exhibition and select and choose what they want in any quantity they need. It gives them the feeling they are buying the closhes with their own money. It is a very affordable means to get clothses for members of their families. Being held near their homes also makes it even easier for them, since transportation could be a financial burden to them. The revenue from such low cost used clothes exhibitions Resala holds during the year are channeled into the various charity activities of Resala to help those who are in need in Egypt.